Following the repression of recent days in Calais after the opening of the Kronstadt Hangar, London No Borders is organising an infonight this Thursday (11th Feb) at 7pm to discuss what is going on there and how we support the struggle.

The hangar, a new space for migrants and activists in Calais rented by the No Borders network and the French organisation SoS Sans Papier [1], opened yesterday afternoon to immediate repression from the authorities.

After the opening police blockaded the streets around the hangar and triedto prevent migrants from entering. In spite of this 150 migrants went in to have tea and coffee.

update 7th february 5pm: french police has raided the Kronstadt Hangar, breaking the doors.

from calais migrant solidarity: About 12.30 French time today everyone was in the No Borders/Kronstadt warehouse, chilling out, when police came to surround the building. People were told they can leave the building, but couldn’t return for lunch. Police say this is an ‘Order from the council’.

A few days after its announcemen the Kronstadt Hangar, the newly opened space for migrants and activists in Calais, was opened to the public on Saturday 6 February 2010 . It is the aim of the project to create a safe space, where migrants and supporters can meet without harassment by the police and to give the migrants a voice of their own.

( Press Release by Calais Migrant Solidarity ) Today, despite a heavy police presence migrants successfully entered the newly-opened Kronstadt hangar at the invitation of NoBorders activists. The hangar is intended to be a space for information-sharing, debate and practical solidarity.

Together, around 100 activists and migrants broke through police lines chanting “Freedom! Freedom!”. Riot police in full body protection are currently circling the building and threatening the migrants with mass arrests. People are currently occupying the building.

Since Saturday 6 February 2010 the Kronstadt Hangar, the newly opened space for migrants and activists in Calais, is up and running. On Saturday afternoon police tried to keep any migrants from attending the space by building lines in the street. However, about 150 migrants ignored the police and broke their lines. They gathered in the space with tea and coffee.